Ambulance runs out of fuel, driver’s swift action saves pregnant woman

VIZIANAGARAM: An ambulance ferrying a pregnant woman in emergency stopped midway as it ran out of petrol near Parvathipuram in Vizianagaram district. The ambulance driver managed to continue his journey by taking petrol from his friend’s two-wheeler and shifted the pregnant woman to hospital.  

On Saturday, Lavanya, who was staying in a hostel for pregnant women living in interior and hilltop villages, developed labour pains. Hostel ANM Mangamma and driver Venkataramana decided to shift Lavanya to a nearby hospital, but the ambulance of the hostel stopped midway after it ran out of petrol. Acting swiftly, Venkataramana asked his friend to come to the location in his two-wheeler. They used the petrol in the two-wheeler and reached the hospital safely. Lavanya gave birth to a baby girl and both are safe and under doctor’s observation. The hospital staff as well as patients’ relatives lauded Venkataramana for his timely help. 

Parvathipuram Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) authorities had set up special hostels for pregnant women living in interior and hilltop villages four years ago. Then ITDA Project Officer  Laxmi Sha had introduced these hostels to increase hospital deliveries and decrease the mother mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR) in tribal areas. They have arranged at least 40 beds in the Youth Training Centre (YTC) in Salur, and Gummalaxmipuram. 

They have been providing food, accommodation, medication and other medical needs to pregnant women in these hostels. These hostels are yielding good results, but lack of funds in the last one year has affected their functioning. With this, the arrival of pregnant women  has dropped due to lack of facilities and maintenance. 

Earlier there were 40 pregnant women in each hostel, the number has come down to 5 to 10 recently. ITDA PO R Kurmanath visited the hostels several times and assured of increasing facilities, but in vain. 
Youth Training Centre (YTC) manager G Prasanth said, “We don’t have funds for the maintenance of the ambulance. We took all the issues to the notice of the ITDA PO, who visited the hostel a few days ago. He assured us to provide another ambulance to the hostel.”

Lack of funds affects maintenance of hostels  
Hostels for pregnant are yielding good results, but lack of funds in the last one year has affected their functioning. With this, the arrival of pregnant women dropped due to lack of facilities and maintenance. Earlier there were 40 pregnant women in each hostel, the number has come down to 5 to 10 recently.